Corruption probes target Snchez allies as Spains government crisis deepens

22 articles·12 sources·updated about 3 hours ago·View in graph

Spain’s political establishment was rocked on Sunday as corruption investigations widened to target allies of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, raising the spectre of a government crisis barely a year before the next general election.

The Guardia Civil’s anti-corruption unit, the UCO, has opened a series of probes into alleged irregularities involving senior officials close to Sánchez, including his former chief of staff and family members, according to reports in *La Vanguardia* . The investigations centre on contracts awarded during the pandemic and the management of state funds, with prosecutors examining whether political interference skewed procurement processes. The UCO’s actions have prompted accusations within the ruling PSOE that the unit is being weaponised against the government, while opposition parties demand Sánchez’s immediate resignation.

The crisis deepens as Sánchez’s brother, his wife’s business associates, and key advisers face questioning over undeclared assets and influence-peddling. German newspaper *Tagesspiegel* reported that at least three separate court cases could not only derail Sánchez’s premiership but also irreparably damage the PSOE’s credibility ahead of the 2027 ballot . The PSOE’s leadership has responded by expelling members under investigation and pledging full cooperation with the judiciary, but internal sources admit the party is “grappling with a legitimacy deficit” after years of scandals.

The political fallout is already reshaping Spain’s electoral landscape. In the Community of Madrid, where Sánchez’s PSOE faces a tough regional election next year, Education Minister Diana Morant—also the party’s Valencian leader—acknowledged the “complex moment” but ruled out early elections. “The government is delivering growth and protecting society,” she told *El Diario*, dismissing calls from separatist parties for snap polls . Morant, a potential Sánchez successor, defended her party’s record on science funding and education, though she conceded that “autonomous governments have failed to expand public university places,” driving up entry cut-offs.

Across Europe, the investigations have drawn comparisons to Peru’s aggressive anti-corruption drive, where four of the last nine presidents are behind bars. Hungarian analysts now question whether Spain’s institutions can emulate such accountability, with *HVG* noting that “Peru’s model shows what happens when elites are held to account—but also the risks of politicised justice” . Meanwhile, in Saxony, Germany’s far-right AfD faces scrutiny over its ties to the extremist *Freie Sachsen* party, underscoring a broader European trend of mainstream parties struggling to contain radical factions .

With Sánchez’s approval ratings slipping and the opposition PP gaining ground in polls, the coming weeks will test whether Spain’s judiciary can investigate without appearing partisan—or whether the crisis will force an early election that could reshape the country’s political trajectory.

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